https://soundcloud.com/user-883158306/then-im-gone?si=b7cc6d19ee1c4daebd89cc7dc1b81ac6&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
I've been working on this track for some months now.
Who would have thought a cover would take so long to make?
The thing is, I love EDM because I like to dance. And although doing a remake of "Bang a Gong" was a daunting prospect, I couldn't resist because... well... that bass-line and guitar.
And that's where the trouble began.
Because one does not simply try to emulate T-Rex's dirty, kick-ass rift as it turns out.
So I had to transform the track, to create a new sound that was cleaner and that lived a bit more with electronic music. And also because I couldn't bring myself to try and repeat what is already perfect.
I originally planned to change the lyrics and to just sing them from a female perspective. This was after I took the time to read the lyrics (which I never really knew, by the way).
When I read them I was pretty stunned at how outdated they are.
With the now more awareness we have around gender equality, that is.
This was really old school, pretty cheeky and outrageous stuff. Sung as par for the course, with a bunch of unhappy looking gals (who could blame them in the 60's and 70's?) dancing in the background of the original video.
Looking at this from the perspective of 2022, it was pretty eye-opening. I mean what was considered normal back then.
I guess change does happen.
Sometimes it just takes a bit of time.
Robert Palmer/ The Power Station clocked the gender thing in the 80's and did a cool version of the track. I think he was pretty much saying the same thing that I thought when I read the lyrics.
Great version and (especially) video. 😆
But then the band was a great collaboration of artists, so...
Blondie also did a version, by the way, which I only discovered when I was digging up video footage.
I kinda think she chickened out completely and didn't even participate in the conversation. I suppose a female person was careful of speaking out about sexism in the music industry back then.
(Or now, by the way. Not much change there. Seriously.)
So many great artists and here is me...
trying to do a dance version.
While knowing not much about music really...
except that I love it, know what I like and that life would suck without it.
"Maybe I should leave this alone and move on to something that's less of a 'classic'?" I thought.
More than once. 😬
"I'll get away with it, because it's a bit of artivism." I thought.
I'll sing it from a female's perspective. I'll just change the "you're(s) to "I'm" etc., and get a females vocalist with a sexy, jazz style to do the vocals."
(I ended up doing them myself because she was too busy. Not ideal but hey... make a plan, right?
"It'll be a bit of awareness about bias, stereotyping and some fun at the same time." I figured.
What could possibly go wrong?
And then the project kinda grew, morphed and developed into what I'm sharing with you here.
I don't know how the creative process "works".
Still to this day.
Despite me making art, on and off, for many years.
Sometimes it's like something else has taken the reigns as an art project develops. It feels a bit as though this is what happened here. Because as the song developed, and was edited, edited again and re-edited some more...
it ended up as this.
Over around six months now, I think...
Six months on one track? No wonder musicians are also generally broke, starving artists.
I just couldn't get it to be what I thought it should be and, finally, I let it go and it unfolded as it did.
Into "Then I'm Gone" up top there 👆
With a bit of minimal techno at the end.
Huh???
And then...
the video happened. 👀
The video was also really only supposed to be a conversation about stereotyping and the way in which us gals are still very much restricted by society's expectations of what a "good girl" should "be".
I happen to love sex.
I also happen to like being "dominant" sometimes. It's fun!
And I happen to not want to be in a "traditional" relationship.
I've been married twice. I didn't enjoy it either time and I have no interest in ever going down that road again, thanks.
I also prefer to have my own space.
This doesn't make me "a slut". 🙄 #justsaying
I fully believe in a monogamous, committed relationship.
I'm just not about to give up my personal freedom, or the space I need to create (to stay sane and happy), for anything these days.
So any partner I choose to be with (when I do decide to start dating after these 3,5 years of flying solo), is gonna to have to be pretty well educated on this gender stuff, pretty open-minded and super independent as well.
I know you're out there. 🌸
As I worked on the video it came to me that all of the "isms" are totally pointless.
Really.
We have groups of people standing strong for causes...
who are fighting other groups of people (or ignoring them completely) with other important causes that need our attention.
And because of all of these important causes, and all of the focus and energy they direct at one individual issue separately; by and for one particular group; even of one particular demographic at times; of one culture; society; country or whatever...
most of these issues aren't even adequately heard.
They simply don't have the power, of enough voices behind them, to be heard in the cacophony of every other problem we need to address.
To be a safer, happier, more peaceful society, country... or world, really.
There aren't enough voices, together, for the powers that be to bother listening to us anyway.
I sometimes wonder if political parties don't drive media, that incites fear and encourages hate, to intentionally divide us. (*spoiler alert. They do.)
The thing is... we all really only want the same thing, don't we?
We all want to be validated, respected, treated equally, accepted for who we are and...
at the core of all of this (I strongly believe)...
to feel safe and loved. ❤️
So, despite the bundle of "isms" and good causes out there that need to be addressed, there really is only one thing that can probably fix them all.
So...
then I thought... "Hmmmmm... perhaps if we were all reminded that anything affecting another person in our world always affects us, in some way or another, as well?
(It does though. Because the intentions, and hence actions, behind it become acceptable if we do nothing. And power hungry people, with bad intentions are everywhere.)
What if we could get over our "otherness", and "separateness", and support one cause.
Together.
One cause that will probably impact all the other causes substantially as well.
Or do away with their necessity entirely.
We all know the cause I'm referring to, I think?
The one that would support ALL of the other causes as well.
In fact... maybe in time there would only be one cause to support, that included the concerns and challenges of EVERYONE on the planet equally.
So that everyone could feel safe, accepted and loved.
Imagine?
(You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one (*stolen -
- sorry...The Beatles again.)
Anyway.
Dreams end up being reality with enough action, so on we go.
Back to the music because...
If anything brings people together...
music does!
A dance-floor seems to be the one place where, pretty much every time, people get over their personal issues, and fear of each other, and just get down, boogie and get along for a while.
I guess it's because they have something in common...
like a good cause, for example.
I hope you enjoy the result of all the "making".
It came from the heart. ❤️
Or somewhere other than my determined to make it what it definitely isn't, thinking creative process.
P.S
I needed a break from the heavier content in Perfect, so I finished this off over the last couple of days.
This video essentially is what UR already Perfect was going to bring to the table. Amongst other things. It seems, despite my best efforts (because I'd rather be playing Fortnite and I still haven't properly checked out Splinterlands), I can't let this one go either...
So y'all better get your dancing shoes on because... at some point we are gonna have to dance all this sh!t all out.
Together.
Of course 😉
Contributed to the #LIL by @quantumg.
AND
Photo by Fidel Fernando on Unsplash
Hardened Dreamer
Mother
Warrior
Determined Dancer
and Stargazer
still...
Beyond fear is freedom
And there is nothing to be afraid of.
To Life, with Love... and always for Truth!
Nicky Dee